Renapping process



Patented Feb. 8, 1938 PATENT OFFICE RENAPPING raoonss Benjamin Feinberg,New York, N. Y.

No Drawing. Application May 31, 1%3, Serial No. 673,770

7 Claims.

My present invention relates to processes for re-napping textile fabricthat has developed a shine due to wear, and also to treatingcompositions used in carrying out such processes.

An object of the invention is to provide a process for the above purposeby which worn and shiny fabric can be re-napped without danger of injuryto the fabric, either chemically or'rnechanically, in the process oftreatment, and by 10 which the residual life of the fabric will not beappreciably shortened as compared with the continued use of the shinyfabric.

Another object is to provide a process of the above character which canbe conveniently executed with the use of simple apparatus and withoutthe need for particular skill.

As conducive to a clear understanding of the invention, it is noted thatthe application of glue, starch, resin or other sizing used to glaze orpolish textile and paper, has a stiffening effect upon the fabric andthe rubbing of such stiffened or hardened fabric in the endeavor towork. up a nap therein, would result in large measure in Wearing downthe fabric substantially as if it were attempted mechanically to work upa nap from the dry un-treated fabric.

According to the present invention, the fabric, prior to mechanicalre-napping is treated not with a size, but with the converse of a size,name- 1y, with an emollient solution. The solution has appropriatecharacteristics such, as not only to soften the fabric, but also toimpart to it and to the individual fibres thereof a protectivesemilubricant coating, affording sufhcient body to the surface fibre, tocause the same to be worked up by the operation of an abrading implementthereon. The abrading element may be a motor driven steel wool head suchas shown in my copending application Serial No. 625,187, filed July 27,1932, of which this is a continuation in part.

Preferably the treating composition includes as the emollient, borax insolution and in addition, includes body giving substances in suspension.In a preferred composition the suspended substaiice may be gritty orflocculent, but it preferably includes both gritty and fiocculentingredients. Casein is preferred as the suspended gritty substance andaluminum hydroxide gel as the flocculent substance.

A composition of the proper characteristics is produced by mixing in anaqueous carrier, borax, alum (preferably potash alum) and casein. Thechemical reaction between borax and alum will produce the fiocculentaluminum hydroxide desired. The alum will react on the casein in thepresence of light,,to harden so much of the latter as does not dissolve,into a more or less gritty mass, insoluble in water.

The proportion of alum must not be excessive, as otherwise it wouldthrow too much borax out of solution and the softening or emollientaction would be greatly reduced if not entirely destroyed.

There must also not be any great excess of casein since this wouldsettle to the bottom and would also be apt to ferment or become moldy inthe absence of preservatives not desirable in a composition for thepresent purpose.

The borax, alum and casein in the water carrier thus results in asolution of the ingredients in considerable part, a suspension of theflocculent aluminum hydroxide resulting from the reaction of some of theborax with alum and a more or less gritty casein suspension due to thereaction of the alum thereon.

The most satisfactory results are obtained Where one part of potashalum, one part of casein and 4 parts of borax by weight, are mixed in200 parts of water.

The composition is a somewhat turbid, whitish liquid, which is notparticularly viscous and will 2 not stratify under ordinary conditionsof storage or use. It is harmless, non-corrosive, odorless andinexpensive.

In carrying out the process, the emollient com position at roomtemperature is wiped with a sponge over the'surface of the fabric to berenapped, and thereupon the latter is treated with the rotary steel woolhead in the manner described in my application above identified. Therotating head is continuously moved over the fabric and actsmechanically to work the emollient into and around the fibres of thefabric, so that the latter becomes quite soft and pliable and thefiocculent and gritty suspension material of aluminum hydroxide andcasein builds a semi-lubricant coating on the individual fibers andimparts body to the latter.

In continued operation of the steel wool head, the thoroughly softenedfibers at the surface of the fabric are caused to be worked up and byreason of the emollient absorbed therein and the semi-lubricant coatingthereon with the suspended material carried thereby, these fibres willhave sufficient body to respond to the action of the steel wool tool andto rise from the surface without becoming worn off so that a nap isrestored, and the shine completely removed from the fabric. The completeoperation of thus restoring the nap to a square foot of fabric is in theorder of one or two minutes.

It will be understood that the emollient could first be worked into andabout the fibre of the fabric by a soft rubbing tool, and the steel woolthen used for remapping, but satisfactory results are obtained as abovedescribed by use of the steel wool head to perform both of these steps.

The emollient composition acts. only to a limited degree as a' lubricantcoating for the surface and the fibres thereof. This lubricating actionis sufficient to preclude Wmechanical wear' of the fabric under theaction of the steel wool head, and yet not so great that the fibres withthe gritty particles of' casein therein, will not be seized and workedup by the steel wool head. Emollients such as oils or 'soap' which aregood lubricants might have the effect of causing thegsteel wool head toslip or slide over the' fabric without any appreciable effect on itsnap: After drying the treated fabric, the operation is completed bydry-cleaning or bleaning the fabric in a non-aqueous cleansing fluid,such as carbon tetrachloride, which removes any white spots left on thefabric from the suspension in the emollient compesition.

While bo rax is preferred as the emollient, it will be understood thattri-sodium phosphate, or jother equivalents, might be used in its placeand the preferred alum may be replaced by formalin, or the like. Each ofthese substitutes while embraced within the scope of the broader claims,involves the sacrifice of certain of the particular advantages abo vepointed out.

The invention has a preferred application to re-napping woolen or cottonouter apparel, such as suits of clothing, dresses or overcoats; Theinvention, however, has a wider field of application to the treatment ofother fabrics such as silks.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application,Serial No. 625,187, filed July 27, 19322 It will thus bejseen that thereis herein described almethod'and composition in which the severalfeatures of this invention are embodied, 3:

in. the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and notin a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and; desire ,tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The process of re-napping textile fabric which consists in moisteningthe fabric with an emollient solution containing casein in suspension,rubbing with an abrasive the surface of the fabric in the presence ofthe emollient solu-' ion and then cleansing .the fabric in a nonaqueouscleanser '2. The processifof re-napping textile fabric, which consistsin moistening the fabric with an emollientisolution including a grittyand a fioccnlent ingredient, then rubbing the surface of the fabric towork the solution into and about the fibre of the fabric, and thenrubbing with an abrasive the surface of the fabric in the presence ofthe solution thus previously worked into and about the fibre. 7

3. The. process of re-napping" textile fabric which consists inmoistening the fabric with an emollient solution including flocculentsubstance in suspension, mechanically working the emollient into andabout the surface fibre of the fabric, and mechanically treating thesurface 'of the fabric with an abrasive to work up said fibre and thenrubbing the surface of the fabric in the presence of the emollientsolution.

4. The process of re-napping textile fabric which consists in moisteningthe fabric with an emollient solution including gritty substance in,suspension, mechanically working the emollient into and about thesurface fibre of the fabric, and

; mechanically treating the surface of the fabric 7 to workup said fibrein the presence of the solu- '7. The method of conditioning textilefabric, 0

preparatory tc'f'renapping by abrasion which consists moistening thesurface of the fabric with an emollient containing a suspension includincasein and aluminum hydroxide gel.

BENJAMIN G. FEIfNBERG-'

